I've heard people say 308 isn't enough rifle

[md7]

An 18” through 22” barrel rifle in 308 is fine for Mississippi whitetail and boar up to and including 400 yards out. Possibly further with the right bullet and good placement.

The farthest I’m willing to shoot live game is 300 yards (regardless of cartridge) and I’m after whitetail, so yes. 308 win is plenty for me.

 

[WisBorn]

Watching a few YouTube videos and thought this was interesting. It also can be said that the right bullet in a 308 will out perform the wrong bullet out of the 30-06.

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[WisBorn]

I personally like 165 grain bullets from the 308. The 180 grain bullets do run out of gas do to the lower powder capacity compared to the 30-06.

 

[LimaCharlie]

The 308 is more than adequate for most game in North America. For very long range shots or hunting a Kodiak bear or polar bear, I might want something bigger.

Options are good. I have rifles in:
223
50 Beowulf
308
338 WinMag
416 Rigby
460 Weatherby Magnum

 

[FL-NC]

For what? It routinely and consistently brings home meat of all types from the lower 48. It has won plenty of various types of long range competitions. Theres lots of bad guys from the late unpleasantness that would attest to the effectiveness of the 308, except they are unable to speak- whether those 308's were delivered by rifles, machineguns, or M134 mini guns.

 

[GMax]

.308 150 &165 gr. Superformance loads outpace any standard .30-06 loads.

 

[Slamfire]

You know, every new cartridge article I read assures me that whatever calibers I currently have, they are not enough rifle.

I am sure the day after the US Navy found out that the Japanese had 18 inch cannons, this was determined to be not enough ship.

The atomic cannon, a lot of punch in a small package. Is this enough gun?

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree that the .308 will kill any game it (or .30-06 or .303 or 7mm or 8 mm) ever did...

But also acknowledging here - almost all of these competitions have some handicap class which isolates the 308 or 308 and 5.56/223 together, away from other higher performing cartridges. F/TR and Palma in F-class competition, Heavy Metal in 3 Gun, Tac class in PRS, as examples - these handicap classes exist to acknowledge the performance gap of the 308 behind other options.

Right, specialist target shooters have moved on from the old "battle rifle" chambers.

The 308 win is not the best choice for Cape Buffalo.

Maybe not, but the then-elderly Walter Dalrymple Maitland Bell said of the then-new .308 that with the right bullet, it would make a good elephant gun. By his standards, having shot them with 6.5, .275, and .318.

On the flip side of the discussion , IF someone feels the 7.62X51mm isn't enough ; Perhaps you simply need to send additional rounds down stream

View attachment 1162496​

And yet I recently read that the Real Kewl Sojers have rebarrelled their machine guns for 6.5 CM.

I think I would have to go with a Springfield M1-A.

As the guy who wrote about the SIG AMT, it shoots well, but I have humped all the 9 lb rifles in the woods that I care to.

I am sure the day after the US Navy found out that the Japanese had 18 inch cannons, this was determined to be not enough ship.

The aircraft carrier and submarine certainly took the sportsmanship out of naval warfare.

 

[H&Hhunter]

.308 Win. 165 Gr Nosler Accubond. 19” and a 22” in the tan colored

First cow 465 yards one round front quartering, entrance and a nice big exit. Dead within about 5 seconds.

Second cow one round 572 yards one round dead after a 50 yard stumble. Double lung nice big exit wound

Third picture my wife hit her at 547 yards. First round quartering away, got the lungs no exit. Next time we saw her was at 623 yards slowly walking with her head down. Double lung hit dropped her. No exit on the second round bullet was found in the opposite side hide.

I also killed a young bull with my 22” .308 at 514 or 524 yards I can’t recall the exact number and can’t find the picture. But it was a double lung with a nice big exit as well.



Am I recommending the .308 as a be all do all elk round? No I’m not but it’ll get the job done. It’s not the weak sister some try to make it out to be.

 

[.308 Norma]

I am sure the day after the US Navy found out that the Japanese had 18 inch cannons, this was determined to be not enough ship.

 

[gotboostvr]

Watching a few YouTube videos and thought this was interesting. It also can be said that the right bullet in a 308 will out perform the wrong bullet out of the 30-06.

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Bullet placement
Bullet construction
Cartridge

The right hit, with the wrong Bullet in the wrong cartridge, trumps a bad hit with even the best bullet out of the biggest case.

A well placed 223 varmint Bullet will still bring down a deer, whereas a 300wm in the rump might not cut it.

A 308 with proper Bullet selection will cleanly harvest anything in North America further out than most hunters have any business taking a shot.

 

[Walkalong]

I shoot PRS, and yes, fast heavy 6MM dominates the field, but it’s about hits at long range with low recoil, it’s not about delivering energy downrange like you must do for killing game. It can’t really be compared, it’s two totally different applications.

 

[Walkalong]

Oh, my hunting rifles are .35 Remington and .308 Winchester. Covers anything I would do in the woods of Alabama.

Lots of excellent choices

 

[Jim Watson]

I also killed a young bull with my 22” .308 at 514 or 524 yards I can’t recall the exact number and can’t find the picture. But it was a double lung with a nice big exit as well.

Wow, routine 500 yard shots on game.
That is a pretty long way for me on a KD range.

 

[md7]

.308 Win. 165 Gr Nosler Accubond. 19” and a 22” in the tan colored

First cow 465 yards one round front quartering, entrance and a nice big exit. Dead within about 5 seconds.

Second cow one round 572 yards one round dead after a 50 yard stumble. Double lung nice big exit wound

Third picture my wife hit her at 547 yards. First round quartering away, got the lungs no exit. Next time we saw her was at 623 yards slowly walking with her head down. Double lung hit dropped her. No exit on the second round bullet was found in the opposite side hide.

I also killed a young bull with my 22” .308 at 514 or 524 yards I can’t recall the exact number and can’t find the picture. But it was a double lung with a nice big exit as well.
View attachment 1171303
View attachment 1171304
View attachment 1171305
Am I recommending the .308 as a be all do all elk round? No I’m not but it’ll get the job done. It’s not the weak sister some try to make it out to be.

Very nicely done. I look forward to running my 18” 308 win this fall on Mississippi whitetail. Hope the suppressor is approved by then.

 

[WisBorn]

308 Win, I'm Sorry

Welcome to Ron Spomer Outdoors! In this episode, I have to apologize for my remarks about the 308 Winchester, and I need to apologize for my inability to lov...

youtu.be

I like Ron's take on the .308 Winchester.
I do think that the 308 is the perfect cartridge for more 50% of the country.

 

[H&Hhunter]

308 Win, I'm Sorry

Welcome to Ron Spomer Outdoors! In this episode, I have to apologize for my remarks about the 308 Winchester, and I need to apologize for my inability to lov...

youtu.be

I like Ron's take on the .308 Winchester.
I do think that the 308 is the perfect cartridge for more 50% of the country.

I think Ron is full of it regarding the .308. I know Ron and have hunted with Ron and I like Ron, and I disagree with him on his thoughts on the .308.

 

[Chuck R.]

I really like Spomer's videos and his articles, especially this one:

 

[H&Hhunter]

308 Win, I'm Sorry

Welcome to Ron Spomer Outdoors! In this episode, I have to apologize for my remarks about the 308 Winchester, and I need to apologize for my inability to lov...

youtu.be

I like Ron's take on the .308 Winchester.
I do think that the 308 is the perfect cartridge for more 50% of the country.

After actually watching this video I have to say that I’m almost 100% in agreement with Ron. The .308 is an adequate elk round out to about 500 yards. Adequate meaning it isn’t perfect but it can get the job done. The .308 is starting to rapidly fall off past 600 yards and there are better choice for a dedicated elk rifle. I can’t argue with any of that.

So WisBorn’s post I quoted is right in the money IMHO.

 

[WisBorn]

I really like Spomer's videos and his articles, especially this one:

I like the 358 win, but the only advantage is up close on big animals.

After actually watching this video I have to say that I’m almost 100% in agreement with Ron. The .308 is an adequate elk round out to about 500 yards. Adequate meaning it isn’t perfect but it can get the job done. The .308 is starting to rapidly fall off past 600 yards and there are better choice for a dedicated elk rifle. I can’t argue with any of that.

So WisBorn’s post I quoted is right in the money IMHO.

I went back and re-watched the video. Ron was right about his evaluation
I love the 308win, it is a great all around cartridge. I like magnums too for the additional energy and flatter trajectory.

 

[d2wing]

Enough gun for What. I use other cartridges but I have used a .308 and it is more than enough for anything I want to shoot. Great all around cartridge. While there are others I would prefer for some purposes, a 308 will kill any land animal if you are a good enough hunter. And brave enough.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Enough gun for What. I use other cartridges but I have used a .308 and it is more than enough for anything I want to shoot. Great all around cartridge. While there are others I would prefer for some purposes, a 308 will kill any land animal if you are a good enough hunter. And brave enough.

With nothing to do in particular to your thread d2. It just made me think about the ever quoted and often misunderstood subject of Bell and his .275 Rigby.

I absolutely despise when people bring up Bell and his use of the .275 Rigby on Elephant. Because that has very little to do with the round and very much to do with a perfect understanding of elephant skull anatomy.

That being said there have been multitudes more elephant shot and killed with a .308 service rifle using 150 Gr FMJ service ammo than the .275 Rigby AKA 7x57 has ever killed. Those using the .308 were park service cropping officers.

Once again using the .308 With ball ammo to kill elephants has very little to do with the .308 as an elephant rifle and everything to do with the intimate knowledge of elephant anatomy.

But there you have it, the .308 is capable of killing thousands of elephants with a single bullet to the brain! And just for fun Bell killed a bunch of elephant with a .256 Mannlicher too! Given that, the 6.5 Creedmoor is also an adequate elephant rifle as it’s more powerful than the .256!

Sorry for the rant, I am speaking to shot placement and bullet construction vs cartridge capability and suitability. A very misinterpreted and misunderstood subject.

 

[CraigC]

I absolutely despise when people bring up Bell and his use of the .275 Rigby on Elephant. Because that has very little to do with the round and very much to do with a perfect understanding of elephant skull anatomy.

And just how cool headed a man is who shoots elephants for a living. I throw such comments in the same gut bucket with the crap about someone killing a bear with the .22LR. Or to a lesser extent, shooting horses with the .45Colt.

 

[Reloadron]

I've heard people say 308 isn't enough rifle​

I've heard people say plenty of things. Enough rifle for what? My opinion and strictly my thinking is the .308 Winchester cartridge is not suitable for elephant, rhino and some other game but is quite suitable for just about anything on the North American continent. One chooses a rifle (hunting rifle) based on the game and terrain. I took dozens of whitetail in West Virginia with my old Ruger 44 Mag rifle. Consider the terrain. I sure as hell would not use that rifle for whitetail where a shot is 150 or more yards. As mentioned the .308 Winchester is suitable for just about any North American game but sucks for Elephant or Rhino in Africa.

Just My Take
Ron

 

[.308 Norma]

As mentioned the .308 Winchester is suitable for just about any North American game but sucks for Elephant or Rhino in Africa.

It "sucks" for cottontail rabbits too. If you're close enough though, it works okay for snipping the head off a mountain grouse ("a fool hen") for the frying pan back at camp.
BTW, shooting mountain grouse with big game rifles (during season) is perfectly legal here. You just have to be careful to not shoot "low" - hitting a mountain grouse in the breast with a .308 Winchester (or any other big game rifle) doesn't leave much for supper.